Serendipity Kitchens

Gluten Free Oatmeal, Apple, Walnut

2010-03-09T20:54:00.001-08:00

Gluten Free Steelcut Oats are thick and don't cook as gummy as regular oats. I didn't really like them the first time I cooked them up, but first, I don't think I cooked them long enough. They need to cook for at least 10 minutes.

Anyway - while boiling the water for the oats, cut up an apple into about 1/4 chunks. Alternately, you can shred the apple and add it to the cooking oats. I have done both and much prefer to have the chunks.

So if you shredded the apple, you're done with that part. If you chunked it, toss 'em in a pre-heated non-stick skillet and brown the sides. After they're browned, add it to the cooking oats. Then toast some plain, raw walnuts and chop them up fairly small (optional). I liked them roughly chopped in my "mincer/chopper" if you want them whole, go for it.

Add the walnuts to the oats. Finish cooking. After dishing up, I added about a teaspoon or less of agave. The apples made it sweet enough for me. Enjoy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I found my Doctor!

2010-03-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

My mom did a lot of research today and found the coolest doctor on earth! I am going to make plans to go to Seattle, WA. Lucky for me I am only 8 hours away and I have family I can stay with when I go - he treats people across the United States so 8 hours is nothing compared to what other have to expense out.

I am going to try to make it up to this office as soon as I can make arrangements (mainly cost and insurance).

His office is called the IBS Treatment Center and the founder Doctor is Dr. Stephen Wangen. He also has an excellent blog, www.ibstreatmentcenter.blogspot.com

I'll keep you posted on this new journey.

My Gluten Free Story (also great resources links)

2010-03-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

This is an excellent article my broher, Ben shared with me regarding Celiacs Disease. Very simple and straight forward read (symptoms, diagnosis and info). Kind of cool to have a ".gov" resource like this. Meaning it is acknowledged "officially".

Hypothyroidism and Rheumatoid Arthritis are just a couple of SYMPTOMS of a gluten (and other food) intolerance. instead of bulking up on drugs, why not look at your diet. I'm determined to do this. Currently looking for a Dr and/or naturopathic physician to give me the test - I don't want just anyone though. You should be selective of the dr. doing the test.

Why am I posting this? I guess I would start here...

My Personal Story on my "Medical Journey", as short as I can explain it... which probably won't be very short. I have been going to a specialist for about 4 months now for chronic pain in various parts of my body. With what initially started out as a self-diagnosis of Plantar Facetious turned into a beast of a medial journey.

The plantar facetious (to which I will refer to as PL now) idea originally stemmed from the fact that I had just finished the 2009 Portland Marathon. My first marathon (completed in 4:29 so not bad!). I did about 4-6 months of training and extensive running for this. Problems in my feet started earlier in the year but I chalked it up to running too hard in the beginning. The funny thing was that my feet did not hurt while running (which with PL is supposed to be excruciating to run with). Also, my pain was generally in the frontal area in the ball of my foot centralized around my pinky toe-joint; PL is most commonly located in the heel and arch. My foot (started in my left) hurt excruciatingly to walk around the house but would ease up after a few hours and then only hurt minimally. I would wear my crocks everywhere which sort of helped. Putting weight on my feet in the morning was the worst. I looked like I was walking around on glass or nails (and it felt like it I guess in those areas). I will attest to having a a high pain tolerance, I'm not bragging, I just do and I know it. I think I have tended to just get used to being pretty miserable (body aches) over the past 10 years and just deal with it. I never really thought something might be wrong with me.

So back to the medical journey. I would like to mention that I think I am a very lucky person and that I have a lot of resources already that are getting me through my "mystery medical journey" a lot faster than most people would have. I believe if I did not have any of the resources I have to help me out, they would either stay miserable and/or be stuck on drugs their entire life.

My resources pertain to my most basic family food allergies and medical conditions from my mom and brother and sister - not even mentioning recent things with extended family members from my mom's tree. We all seem to have similar issues of some combination with food allergies.

Before I get into the food allergies, I'm going to mention my journey from where I left off after the Portland Marathon because it might be important to someone, someday also trying to figure out their problems.

This entire year, 2009, I had started having a lot of on and off issues in my hands, wrists, forearms, shoulders. I chalked it up to doing a lot of computer work (I am a graphic designer / web developer www.mollybean.com)over the years, thinking I was getting carpal tunnel or something. Afraid any doctor I went to would tell me I needed surgery, I avoided actually going in. I am very mistrusting and afraid I'll get the wrong doctor. Then one morning I woke up with the inability to use my right arm. The wrist and forearm hurt excruciatingly - so bad I was in tears. I couldn't lift my son, couldn't lift my own arm because the weight of it moving hurt so bad! My regular doctor could not get me in until 3 days. Umm... lame. It started going away the next day and gradually left. I cancelled the appointment because it was gone by the time I was going to go in which seemed stupid to try to diagnose anything when it wasn't at it's worst. So months go by. Every now and then during the year my hands and wrist would get achey and inflamed but never as bad as that one time. In the meantime the feet thing just became used to, just something that happened daily.

After the marathon my body started quickly breaking down. Everything just started going downhill fast. The "L" of my hands (see picture) on both sides swelled up, the joints hurt so bad to move (typing and clicking mouse = OUCH). I decided to take a couple months off, which turned into 4 1/2. It hasn't helped much - in fact, my right foot pain started AFTER I stopped running.

Initially, when I decided I wanted to do SOMETHING about it, someone on twitter mentioned a process called, ART (Active Release Techniques) which is pretty popular at Ironman races and Triathlons. So I looked someone up close by. The options were Mt. Shasta (1 1/2 hrs away) or Eugene (3 hrs away). I met with Janet Biondi in Shasta a couple of times. I convinced myself it was doing something, it wasn't. I stopped going more for weather and it wasn't covered by insurance. Costs were $60/hr. A procedure basically billed for 1 hr each time. Plus my gas and time off work to go there. So I made an appointment with a specialist.

I am currently with Ventana Wellness, seeing Dr. Karl Osborne. I like his overall method of solving the problem. His personality on the other hand has to grow on you.

Original diagnosis of my overall pain factor was that I am borderline Hypermobile. Which means you are more flexible than the average bear and that my running a lot resulted in an overuse of my joints combined with high arches and a sway-back and that I should get $500 orthotics made for my shoes (basically a custom mold arch and foot support). I wanted to let this sink in before schilling out the dough and we supplemented with over-the-counter orthotic flip-flops which initially have helped ease the pain from excruciating to just medium most days, but it is definitely still there and I don't believe a custom orthotic would solve the problem fully.

Going down the story-line a bit further - Dr. O is known a procedure called Prolotherapy. It's a sugar-water injection into the joint. Read the link. At the time I was having insane headaches almost every week. I did not describe them as a Migraine specifically because I always believed migraines made the person sick to their stomach and I just felt like my head was going to combust. I was mostly functional except for one time that just broke the camels back. It felt like some claws were gripping the base of my neck and wrapping their fingers around the back of my skull. I orginally had an appointment to try the prolotherapy on my hands they hurt so bad,b ut after that weekend I changed my session to my neck and shoulders. This can take up to 4-5 procedures to get a result by the way. The photo looks gruesome but believe me, it didn't hurt that bad. Felt like I had strained some muscles for a couple days, that's it. Without going into Prolotherapy too much, overall, I did this twice so far and just cancelled my next one - why - because I stopped having the headaches. My neck and mainly shoulders still hurt a bit but so does my entire body and I don't want to think I need prolotherapy on every single joint in my body. A red flag that that is not the answer - although - I don't have any headaches so I will say that it might have helped in some way.

In the meantime, Dr. O started in on some blood tests to figure out if I had any Arthritis and/or Autoimmune Disorders. His main ones were Lupus and Fibromyalgia which have both been ruled out. Labs screwed up my tests initially so it's taken like 2 months between appointments and blood draws to get an answer. I see another doctor in the office for regular girl stuff and (side not, found out I was 2x negative on vitamin D - another story) Dr. O had piggy-backed my Rheumatoid test on her blood work so I accidentally found out before meeting with him that I basically have Rheumatoid Arthritis. This sucks! But it's an answer to everything and will actually make everything better I hope! I'm over the hump of not knowing.

From here, I talked to my mom, who is self-diagnosed gluten and corn intolerant (the short story on her). I want to say that I have been trying to, but not too seriously, be gluten free to see if I feel any different (even before all these issues). I'm always tired and feel prettymuch crappy without my added current conditions.

My mom found this article about arthritis and gluten and food allergies related to Rheumatoid on Celiac.com. An excellent website for information, by the way. Reading this article, ben's article (top of post) and the Rheumatoid Arthritis article I am now fully convinced that I have a gluten intolerance. Good to mention here - if you read the article on Celiac.com about the arthritis, I am also allergic to milk (a milk protein, Casein - found in most animal milk). This sort of nails it on the head according to that article. The .gov article that Ben shared under "...health problems that people with celiac diseas have" says directly:

What other health problems do people with celiac disease have?

People with celiac disease tend to have other diseases in which the immune system attacks the body’s healthy cells and tissues. The connection between celiac disease and these diseases may be genetic. They include

type 1 diabetes
autoimmune thyroid disease
autoimmune liver disease
rheumatoid arthritis
Addison’s disease, a condition in which the glands that produce critical hormones are damaged
Sjögren’s syndrome, a condition in which the glands that produce tears and saliva are destroyed

And also, my theory that my entire family and extended relatives coming from my mom's branch of the tree... this part of the .gov article states:

How common is celiac disease?

Celiac disease affects people in all parts of the world. Originally thought to be a rare childhood syndrome, celiac disease is now known to be a common genetic disorder. More than 2 million people in the United States have the disease, or about 1 in 133 people.¹ Among people who have a first-degree relative—a parent, sibling, or child—diagnosed with celiac disease, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.²

I meet with Dr. O again in a couple of weeks to go over the Rheumatoid test results. I am glad I asked my regular doctor what the result was and got a snippet because I have found out so much in the week since then - everything is starting to make sense. She said that there are other tests that she would have done in order to get a more clear answer (not sure what that means, I'll find out) - but said I should just discuss with Dr. O since he originally ordered the test.

Why are celiac disease symptoms so varied?

Researchers are studying the reasons celiac disease affects people differently. The length of time a person was breastfed, the age a person started eating gluten-containing foods, and the amount of gluten-containing foods one eats are three factors thought to play a role in when and how celiac disease appears. Some studies have shown, for example, that the longer a person was breastfed, the later the symptoms of celiac disease appear.

Interesting - most of my siblings and I were only breastfed for a couple months if that.

Symptoms also vary depending on a person’s age and the degree of damage to the small intestine. Many adults have the disease for a decade or more before they are diagnosed. The longer a person goes undiagnosed and untreated, the greater the chance of developing long-term complications.

I am even more convinced though from reading the Rheumatoid Arthritis article from health.google.com:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs.

Symptoms

The disease usually begins gradually with:

Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Morning stiffness (lasting more than 1 hour)
Widespread muscle aches
Weakness

Eventually, joint pain appears. When the joint is not used for a while, it can become warm, tender, and stiff. When the lining of the joint becomes inflamed, it gives off more fluid and the joint becomes swollen. Joint pain is often felt on both sides of the body, and may affect the fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, toes, and neck.

Additional symptoms include:

Anemia due to failure of the bone marrow to produce enough new red blood cells
Eye burning, itching, and discharge
Hand and feet deformities
Limited range of motion
Low-grade fever
Lung inflammation (pleurisy)
Nodules under the skin (usually a sign of more severe disease)
Numbness or tingling
Paleness
Skin redness or inflammation
Swollen glands

Joint destruction may occur within 1-2 years after the appearance of the disease.

The highlighted are my symptoms for the most part. It is crazy to me how it happens equally on both sides of the body. The scary thing is that it can actually break down your joints if not taken care of under a year.

RA usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally. Wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles are the most commonly affected. The course and the severity of the illness can vary considerably. Infection, genes, and hormones may contribute to the disease.

The last bit of this story is that I have gained at least 12lbs in the last 4-5 months. That's in incredible amount of weight gain for a person that generally eats healthy. A lot of people toss the fact aside and say,"well muscle weighs more than fat - you probably just got muscly" - I know I got stronger, but nothing changed about my body with it's physical appearance. Really, think about it. A person would have to lose at least a pound, running that much?! On top of the fact that I did not lose one single pound while training and running the Portland Marathon - I had an original 10 lbs left over from having my son in 2008 that I just couldn't get to go away. So now I am 25 pounds overweight. Another note, think about this one, for my weight and height at the time fo the race, I supposedly burned 3,500 calories that day. A marathon is 26.2 miles. And .2 IS HARD after running 26 miles, so don't forget that! Anyway, I ate a horrible breakfast that morning, basically went on an empty stomach. I didn't nutrition well at all during the race. A banana and some water and sports drink (I will change this for the next one).... and had a big burger, fries and some candy - I weighed myself that night, I did not lose one pound. That's just insane to me.

So this was not short by any means, but I hope by publishing it online, it may one day give someone else some resources to go by.

Our blog is dedicated to creativity in the kitchen. My mom and I mostly post about gluten free, corn free, milk free and other stuff. Occasionally we publish non-allergy-free items because let's face it, we have other family members who are not affected and sometimes making the original recipe is where you start to make it an allergy free one. My sister has hypothyroidism - a symptom of Celiac Disease or some level of a gluten intolerance. She is categorized under a lot of the symptoms of Celiacs. Hopefully she will join the ranks and go gluten free 100%. The world is fast catching on that a LOT of people are wanting to be Gluten Free. I think it's wonderful.

My last note is that I am now headed to finding a good local naturopathic physician to do a celiacs test. I am interested in the outcome.... either way, all things point to the necessity to go Gluten Free.

How to Make Salt (allergy free)

2010-03-04T15:06:00.000-08:00

My brother, Ben is highly allergic to just about everything on the planet. hahah. Salt (ANY KIND) was making him ill. So he googled how to make your own salt - here's the result of that mission. It was a success! Ben's Blog

note: I can't get the video to fit the width of the blog so maybe view it at ben's blog or YouTube. :)

Banana Nut Muffin Mini's

2010-03-03T23:56:00.000-08:00

These gorgeous little treats were made out of the excellent Gluten-Free Baking Classics, by Annalise G. Roberts (page #27). One of my favorite things about this particular recipe is that the sugar is like an eighth of any other Banana Bread/Muffin recipe I have ever come across. They aren't suggary, they're just perfect.

I keep them around to eat about 10 minutes before a run, bike or swim workout. I find that they are very sustaining for a workout, yet don't bog me down or make me cramp up.

The base flour is a Brown Rice Flour (mix includes both Tapioca and Potato Starches).

The only thing I altered was changing 1 C. Bananas to 2 C. It makes them more moist (not gooey at all though). An additional tip would be to not let them cool too long in the pan or they will stick really bad (yes, I greased the pan). Remove after 5-10 minutes of cooling. Keep in mind, I also have a convection oven, My mom and I have noticed a big difference in how our baked goods react to our ovens, hers being a more standard oven.

Just about all the recipes in this book are excellent. Annalise makes it easy by providing some simple base flour mixes that you prep and keep available for your baking. This method makes it consistent for making any recipe out of this book. Hopefully we'll have an excuse to make the Chocolate Fudge cake soon. Talk about to die for!

Gluten Free Classes (updated)

2010-03-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

We have decided to hold off on the Gluten Free Classes / Get-Togethers until late Summer or Fall 2010.

Why? My little brother is getting married in June and my mom, the Gluten Free Queen Bee, is head of food and table decor and is focusing on that right now. Because we want to devote a lot of effort toward the quality of the classes and information and support system - we decided to hold off.

Please do still fill out the form if you are interested (previous post) and I will get some e-mailer updates and maybe some teaser recipes or quick tips for anyone striving to become or stay gluten free.

Thanks - we look forward to doing the classes!

Gluten Free Classes

2010-02-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

We are going to start offering Gluten Free classes for baking, cooking, resources etc as well as provide an opportunity for Gluten Free people to connect.

If you're local (Southern Oregon) or know anyone local who is interested, please feel free to share this with them.

Classes should start in mid-March. Please fill out the form if you are interested in information. This is not a sign-up sheet, just a way for me to collect interested people's contact in an organized manner. :)

GLUTEN FREE CLASSES FORM

Pad Thai in a Pinch

2010-02-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

When I make Pad Thai, I like to use whatever I have available in the fridge. So basically you have your base items and then just add whatever else you feel might be good vegtable or meat wise...

Base Items for a quick fix meal include:
- For the Gluten Free: Thai rice noodles (they look like fettuccine noodles but really white). These will be in the Aisan section. Cook as directed! You never boil rice noodles.
- For those who don't care about gluten, get some soba noodles also in the Aisan section - round and look like sticks.
- I use a ready-made Pad Thai Sauce (this us the point of this being a quick make). My very favorite brand is Annie Chungs. It's divine.
- don't worry if you don't have these, but they are signature items of the dish: lime and peanuts (unsalted). Also green onion if you don't mind onion.

What I put in my dish aside from the above ingredients was finley chopped lacinato kale (or use any green cabbage) and mushrooms (any brown type).

Prepration:

I fill my tea kettle as full as I can or boil some water (2-3 cups). Chop the kale, measure out some noodles. Place the noodles in a glass or ceramic bowl, big enough for the hot water to cover them (break in half if you want). Use a smaller bowl for the cabbage. When the water is boiling hot and ready, pour it over both the noodles and cabbage covering them. Steep the cabbage only for a minute or two. You want it al dente. Read the instructions for the noodles. Cut up the remaining ingredients. For the peanuts, roughly chop and toast in a pan on the stovetop. Cut the lime wedges and use right before eating. Steam carrots or broccoli before adding as well. Cilantro can also be a yummy addition.

Enjoy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wangs

2010-02-14T16:05:00.001-08:00

I've been dying to make chicken wings from scratch because we love the Costco (foster farms) frozen bag so much. I wanted to see how hard it would be to make my own - I like the idea of having more control over the ingredients.

These were excellent, but I was disappointed with the meat.i felt like I'd bought skin and bone. Next time I'd definitely buy drumsticks instead.

The recipe was from what we call, "The Food Bible" - the America's Test Kitchen cookbook.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dulce de Leche Update

2009-10-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

I tried making this in the pressure cooker.........it worked great!

I didn't realize my pressure cooker was looking so shabby. It is 30 yrs. old. Hubby welded a new handle on it a few yrs ago.
Put your can of sweetened condensed milk in the cooker and cover with water. I used
Western Family brand this time. It was just as good as Eagle Brand.
Put the lid on and bring to pressure. After you put the cap on then turn the heat down
to medium. Time it for 30 min. Let the pressure cooker cool off before opening it. DON"T put water on it to cool it off. Your can could explode!

This is much quicker than boiling it for 3 hrs. Dan says it's safer to do this method because the pressure outside the can is the same as inside the can.
I made this delicious gluten free apple cake and put the warm caramel on top of it like a frosting.

Heidi said she put hers on apple pie. The marriage of apples and carmel is a match made in heaven.
Use your favorite cake recipe....add some chopped apples...bake. Mine took 40 min.

All About Grapes and then some....

2009-10-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

The grape harvest was great this year! Purple Concords....delectable Himrods...and what's the black ones?....oh yeah...blackberries. What? Blackberries aren't grapes.
This is my winning combination for the most DELICIOUS juice ever!
My garden may have looked awful this year despite my good intentions to weed it but the fruits of the vine were fantastic as always. I love fruit. Easy to care for. No Weeding. Just pluck and eat.
Here's some pics of the grapes growing.
First the concords.

They're like jewels hanging from above.

The Himrod vines are 30 yrs old and stretch out 40 ft long and 10 feet up
forming a gorgeous wall hiding undesirables from the front yard...i.e. cars, junk, etc.
Talk about useful landscaping.

I didn't get a picture of the blackberries but I have 6 THORNLESS blackberry
plants that produce a mountain of berries every year. They grow in a fountain
shape and the runners are 10 to 15 feet long which drape over a fence.
I'm really turned on to the idea of an edible yard.
There are so many plants that look good in a landscaping
and are so darn delicious to eat! But I digress.
To make delicious juice you have to extract the juice from the grapes and berries.
I happen to have this terrific steam juicer. It has three layers. The bottom holds the
water, the middle collects the juice, and the top is where you dump the grapes.
There's a spigot which you open up to put the collected juice into the jar.
Voila! Super easy! This doesn't work for apples though. gross.

Then all you do is put a cap on the jar and water bath the jars. I canned 45 quarts of juice.
Now something very yummy to do with this grape/berry combo is
to make syrup for pancakes/waffles. I like to put my syrup
on greek yogurt.

If you've never had greek yogurt you must give it a go!
I'm addicted to it! It has the texture of sour cream.

I also canned 85 quarts of pears and 95 quarts of peaches again this year.
The pears from the LDS farm and the peaches from Harry and David orchards.
I used OREGOLD this year. My favorite peach now and forever. At least for now.
Here's the munchkins enjoying the peaches.

To my edible forest (I live in the forest hence the name) I've added
a Taro plant and Elderberries and a lemon tree. I made some elderberry juice and syrup also handpicked
from the mountains. I thought...geesh....why not grow my own?
I also grow raspberries and strawberries.
I have plans for more fruit too!
I want everyone to start thinking of where they live. What kind of
landscaping do you have? How can I make this landscaping edible?
Tomatoes in the flowers? Squash in the front yard? Columnar apple trees
standing like soldiers by the front door? Many fruits these days are geared
for growing in pots. And geared for small plots. Get creative!

Dulce de Leche

2009-09-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

All I can say is.........YUM!!! Addicting! Easy!
Start with a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk. I used Eagle Brand.
Peel off the label.
Do NOT OPEN THE CAN.
Put in a heavy pan with a lid.
Fill with water and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot with the lid.
Simmer for 3 hrs. to get this spoonable consistency.
Cool and then open the can.
Pat says you can pressure cook it for 30 min. Sounds
scary to me...you know exploding cans and all....maybe I'll try it!

Getting Your Green's - Spanish Eggs Revisited

2009-08-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

All I did here was create the Spanish Eggs (prev. post) and added a bed of steamed (al dente) lacinato kale and asparagus. Was really delicious! Oh and I only used one egg because I figured two was a bit much. .... oh I also sliced some peppers from the garden into loops and saute'd them before cracking an egg over them. They were hot! Sweet peppers would add a bit more flavor.

Spanish Eggs

2009-07-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Printable Recipe Here

Spanish Eggs with Valentina Sauce

You can make this combination whatever you wish.
This is just my variation of Spanish Eggs. I strongly emphasize presentation when I make a
meal because "just eggs" is not fun or yummy. Adding any type of garnish or topping from
the garden makes breakfast eggs that much more exciting.

Eggs - however many you want to eat [free range brown]
Valentina Salsa Picante (very cheap at your local grocer in the Mexican isle) or any hot sauce
Real Bacon Pieces
Parsley - chopped
Tomato - any combination [I used yellow jellybean and a Roma both from my garden]
Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese - OPTIONAL (real Spanish eggs have cheese but I am allergic) - shredded
Fresh Ground Pepper and Salt to taste

1. Heat your pan to medium, spray with Olive Oil (or canola)
2. Crack eggs into the pan, turn heat down to medium-low
3. Sprinkle Valentina or any hot sauce of your choice in any quantity you want over the raw egg tops.
4. Sprinkle the bacon pieces, cracked pepper and salt over eggs
5. Cook side one of eggs to your preferred doneness, turn them
6. Add Cheese if you are having any, cook until yokes are to your liking
7. sprinkle half the chopped parsley over eggs, add chopped/sliced tomatoes and sprinkle the rest of the parsley on top of those.

Enjoy! Compliment them with a side of fruit. :)

Oatmeal Cakes

2009-07-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ben made these oatmeal cakes for his Rainier Hike.
Take some oats and grind them up in a magic bullet or food processor so
it's chunky flour. Mix in some water just so you can form the oats into a flat patty.
Fry in Olive Oil until browned. Salt. Enjoy! These are really tasty and keep well for a backpacking trip. The trick is not to grind the oats into pure flour. You want that chunky oat flavor to shine through. Delicious as a snack!

YUM YUM ICE CREAM

2009-06-30T22:34:00.001-07:00

I loooooooooove my mommy's homemade dairy free pumpkin pie ice-cream!

What to Eat on Top of Mt. Rainier

2009-06-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

Eat your heart out Zac!

Take this and add a little diced buffalo. Saute it up in a WOK with
delicious olive oil and herbs. And then do this........

It dries infinitesimal small so it's easy to pack and lightweight.
Easily hydrates in about 10 min. with boiling water.

Summer Chill'n

2009-06-24T23:57:00.000-07:00

I melt for kitchen appliances, tools and gadgets. This year my husband (John) got me the cutest apron (I'll get a pic soon) and a food dehydrator - which I was dying to have. My family/parents got me a radical ice-cream maker (I will post brand and more goodies tomorrow) and a flour sifter. The ice-cream maker was a total left field surprise! So far we have made vanilla ice-cream, MILK FREE! uh, yum! And this sorbet (eww, pure mango is a little too much for me!). Tonight I have made a [milk version] to-die-for-chocolate and tomorrow is the milk-free version. I'll do a proper post on the recipe book for the milk free recipes. So rad.

Mango Madness Sorbet
(this requires the use of an ice-cream maker)

3 C. Mango (peeled, diced, pureed)
1 C. Water
1/3 C. Sugar or Agave Syrup

Puree Mango, sugar and water in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Chill for at least 2-3 hours.
Finish up in an ice-cream maker according to the instructions.
Ours took 30 minutes to freeze up.
Eat and Enjoy! Yum!

Gluten Free Wraps

2009-06-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

I don't like soup in the summer so I've had to re-adjust what to do about quick easy meals and summertime is aways a must for quick sandwiches and wraps. It can be tough when trying to be Gluten Free to manage alternative meals when you're on a road trip or picnic and everyone else is eating bread. Also, I find that it just isn't as filling to eat lettuce wrapped lunch meat - yummy, but not filling. I'm always starving 15-minutes later. So this morning was the first time I have tried this, and it turned out perfect and delicious!

All I did was cook up the Gluten Free Crepes I posted about back in April (minus any sugar - you want a "savory" not sweet crepe). I then just fixed it up like a wrap.

Important point: Remember that I use my tortilla warmer to keep my crepes in while cooking them all up. I find that this not only keeps them warm for the moment, but it also keeps the crepes moist so that they aren't sitting out in the air and getting crusty. My point being, IF your crepes are hard to use as a wrap because they are cracking and breaking up, try putting them in a tortilla warmer or a bowl with a towel snug around and on top of the crepes right after cooking. I notice that this works the same with regular tortillas from the store if you are toasting them up and let them sit out in the air they crack when rolling .... but if you place them in a tortilla warmer for a moment they will have some flexibility to roll nicely.

I now have wraps for the week! I put my stack of crepes between two paper towels and keep them in a large Ziploc in the refrigerator.

Gluten Free BLT Wrap

1 Gluten Free Crepe (not hot out of the pan unless you like that)
Turkey Bacon cooked up
Lettuce
Tomato diced
Veganaise (or mayonnaise)
Mustard
Ketchup (ok, I'm weird, I like ketchup on my BLT's!)

You can do anything with these. I've done a PB&J wrap before too. I'm going to eat another BLT for lunch but make a club by adding Turkey.

Enjoy!

To Die for Pie

2009-06-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

I love pie. My very most favorite being blackberry pie.
I love pie crust. So tender and flaky and full of gluten and fat.
And then I discovered gluten free pie crust. I got the recipe from
Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise G. Roberts.
If you want the recipe then email me since its copyright protected.
Easy and delicious. Easy to roll out. Flaky tender.
I chose to make a rustic pie shell where you roll out the dough, put
filling in the middle and then bring the pie crust up over the edges.
The filling is a quart of blackberries mixed with 3/4 cup Trader Joes
organic sugar (100% evaported cane juice) and 3 Tbl. sweet rice flour,
1/2 tsp cinnamon, a little grated lemon peel.

Betty Crocker and Gluten Free

2009-05-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

Coming in June of 2009 http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free/Faq.htm

Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts

2009-05-20T21:36:00.001-07:00

Fresh Rhubarb picked from the garden. The strawberries aren't
ripe yet so I had to buy some.

Here's the rhubarb simmering with some water. The problem with
the way I cook is...I don't like to measure. I cut some rhubarb stalks...
about 6....chopped them up and put them in a sauce pan with some water...
maybe a cup? I also added about 1/4 cup of raw cane sugar.

Simmer the rhubarb for about 10 min. then add a box of small
jello. You can thicken this without jello I just like the color it
gives the tart and helps add to the flavor. Thicken with cornstarch
or whatever you like to thicken it with that will keep it clear.
Then add about 2-3 cups of cut up strawberries.

The crust is really divine.
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup gluten free oats (don't use thick cut)
pinch salt
2 Tbl. sugar
1 cube butter melted
Mix all the dry ing. then add the melted butter and stir it up.
Press into tart pans. I don't have enough tart pans so I end up
with a bowl of filling that is delicious to eat on its own.

Bake the tart crust in a 350 oven for 10 min. Cool.
Then Fill them with the filling. Put in the Ref. to chill.
Yummy!

Greens

2009-05-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Easter Egg radishes....so pretty and yummy in a stir fry.

Pak Choi and Swiss Chard picked fresh from the garden for stir fry.

I did make something cool but I ate it before I took pictures.
Now I'll have to make it again.
It was a delicious gluten free strawberry rhubarb tart.

GLUTEN FREE SMORES

2009-05-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

Absolutely Delish! Test tasted by non gluten people who approve heartily.
I used two Baby Mum-Mum crackers which look like surf boards. Note:
there is a toddler mum-mum but it's in a little circle and not big enough so use
the baby mum mums.

You can find these crackers in the baby section of any store.
The recipe speaks for itself. Two mum mums, chocolate of choice,
marshmellow of choice. These were zapped in the microwave.

Veggie Stir Fry Sushi Rolls (yeah, no rice!)

2009-04-30T01:04:00.000-07:00

Originally I had meant to create a stir fry over Pad Thai noodles (which I did), but then, wallah! This creation was born. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. Let me know if you try an alternative stir-fry center. I think some sliced steak would be delicious to add.

Printable Recipe

Healthy Factoids
Nori is rich in iodine and iron and quite high in protein. It is also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and riboflavin (B2).
Not only does it have all these nutritional riches, it is also a low-fat food.

No Rice, What?! I love sushi, but I don't like the amount of white sticky rice that comes with it. This recipe gives you a delicious, low-calorie way of eating sushi. Plus, whenever I think about making sushi I think it's going to be a big ordeal, taking out the rice step really makes this a quick-fix item. Really you can do any kind of vegetable and/or meat variety. This was just one example to show you how you can enjoy the benefits of Nori and sushi without all that rice!

Ingredients
Nori Sheets

Shallots or Small White Onion (I actually use dehydrated white onion)
Garlic, 2-4 Cloves sliced thin
Sweet Potatoes, cubed about 1/4"
Asparagus, broken into 1/2-1" pieces
Brussel Sprouts, quartered lengthwise (or halved if they are really tiny already)
Crimini Mushrooms, cubed about 1/4" (or Shitaki or other brown mushroom)
Cabbage, sliced thin lengthwise; feather-sliced (I used a small ruffly head - will update the name when I go back to the store. Any green will do though)
Lacinato kale, sliced small, about 1/2"

White Cooking Wine
Olive Oil for frying
Sea Salt

Toasted Sesame Seeds (I did a white/black mix)
Mung Bean Sprouts

Sushi grade Soy Sauce (or Tamari Sauce... any sushi sauce of your choice)

Special Items to help you out:
Sushi [Bamboo] Roller
Chop Sticks

Instructions
Stir fry your filling (Start with the hardest vegetables first). I suggest the following order...

Heat a splash of Olive Oil in your skillet. Add the Onion and Garlic Slices and saute until golden.
Add Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus and Brussel Sprouts (only add the Asparagus if you are using a thick variety, if thin, wait until you add thinner vegetables).
Toss these veggies with the sauteed Onion and Garlic. Add a splash of the White Cooking Wine, Cover and let it infuse/steam. Cook these until almost tender.
Add the quick cooking veggies now; Crimini Mushrooms, Cabbage and Lacinato Kale. Continue to toss and cook everything until desirable doneness. I like all my veggies to be a little Al Dent.
Add a sprinkle of Sea Salt to taste

Finishing...

Boil Some water in a kettle or a soup pot (you will only need it to be 1-2" deep). turn off after boiling if using a pot or pour into a dish almost as big as your Nori sheets.
Take your Nori sheets and either very lightly-quickly dip them into the hot water. You can try to steam them or dip quickly. Just don't let the sheet SIT in the hot water.
Make sure the sheet is not dripping wet, lay it out on your Sushi Roller like you would for regular Sushi making.
Place a generous amount of stir fry near the top end (closest to you).
Sprinkle Sesame Seeds and add a small amount of fresh Mung Beans on top of the stir fry filling.
Roll it like regular sushi rolling. It should go pretty easy as the wet Nori should adhere a bit to itself. Keep the roll tight as you don't have the advantage of using sticky rice for extra 'stick'.
Slice and Serve. I dipped mine in the Sushi Soy Sauce and then in the Sesame Seeds and it was just divine. Adding a little Wasabe to the soy sauce would have been yummy too.

Quick Fix Rice Noodle Soup

2009-04-28T02:46:00.000-07:00

Are you a fan of Top Ramen? I am. I LOVE IT! Unfortunately, it is not a Gluten Free product. There are many alternatives though. What I like about Ramen is it that it's quick, easy and tasty (I am a fan of the saltyness).

I am working tonight. Around 2am I became hungry, as I do every night I work. My body is awake, burning more calories than if I was sleeping. My body and brain need fuel to keep pluging along. Unfortunately, I usually go grab something quick which results in toast or some kind of crunchy-munchy like crackers. Both not very good snacks, I admit...so I have changed that habit lately with deciding to be Gluten-Free / Wheat-Free.

I almost broke down and ate something with gluten/wheat in it! Bad. Because I couldn't find something quick and quiet to prepare. I didn't want to wake everyone with cooking, which is also time-consuming. Fortunately for me I found a treasure in the back of my pantry. Over a year ago I had bought these instant rice noodle bowls from Trader Joes on a visit to Eugene (OR). Sadly, the noodle bowls although flavorful, really only consist of just that, flavor and skinny rice noodles - which are not super filling.

To spruce up my noodle bowl and make it look more like the enticing photo on the packaging, I added some brown mushrooms (Crimini) and some Lacinato Kale. I decided to use a real, bigger bowl so that I didn't overflow the plastic bowl that came with the package.

It's a little high on the sodim (700mg) but the ingredients are clean.

Noodles: Rice Noodles
Season Mix: Sugar, Salt, Mushroom Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Garlic Powder, Spring Onion Flake, Pepper, Fried Garlic Flavor.
Dried Vegetable Packet: Mushroom Flake, Cabbage Flake.
Oil Sachet: Rice Bran Oil, Garlic

note: Reading about the Autolyzed Yeast Extract seems to bring up some interesting information deriving from Monosodium glutamate (which is unhealthy by many standards). And seeminly to make this a non-gluten free meal, but I'm not sure how a big a deal it is for me as I am just looking to get away from the "bready" gluten/wheat at this point. Those with Celiac Disease would want to use caution.

I didn't say this was a super healthy alternative, just a super quick grab meal. It was pretty delicious..

Craving Crepes

2009-04-16T00:55:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is the first meal of the day and it always seem to revolve around bread. Who doesn't like something tasty in the morning. A bowl of cereal is quick and convenient, but our usual pick is mostly comprised of flour and sugar. Pancakes are wonderful, but they're just a yummy pillow of bread! So today, I made a fruit smoothie combo'd with some excellent Gluten Free Crepes. This was a complete experiment from the original recipe out of my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook: A Fresh New Way to Cook (Basic Crepes, page #150). I love this tabbed version of the Cooking Light cookbook series and this is an excellent quick and easy book to use.

Printable Recipe

Basic Crepes (Gluten Free/ Dairy Free)

recipe:
1 Cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1 Tablespoon Light Agave Syrup (or 1 T. Sugar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Cups Soy Milk (soy milk, Milk or even water works fine)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking Spray

instructions:

Combine dry ingredients (flour, salt and sugar if you used it). Stir with a whisk.
Combine wet ingredients (milk/water, eggs and agave syrup). Beat the egg before adding the other wet ingredients. Stir with a whisk.
Add wet ingredient to the dry while stirring with a whisk to avoid getting lumps. Stir until smooth (do not beat).
The original recipe says to cover the batter and let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, I did not do this and they turned out fine.

Heat an 8-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. I use an old non-stick, nothing special and they turn out fine.
I use a 1/2 Cup measuring cup and fill it about half full (easier than using 1/4 Cup for sloppy purposes).
When the pan is heated enough, pour the measured batter in the center of the pan like making pancakes.
Immediately swirl and tilt the pan around so that your batter reaches all the edges, it's okay if it doesn't turn out perfectly round, but keep in mind you are NOT making pancakes, they need to be thin.
Keep in mind that your first crepe of any batch will probably be crap. Use this one to figure your heat adjustment, swirling motions and batter thickness. I usually heat the pan on med-high and then cook the rest on med-low heat or adjust to what works with your stove-top. I have a gas top range so mine probably heats hotter than electric.
Keep your crepes warm in between a folded towel or do like me and use a tortilla warmer (Styrofoam, 10-inch, lidded container you can find in most Mexican food sections at your local grocery store).

serving:
Instead of sprinkling unhealthy powdered sugar over your crepes, use agave syrup and some fresh fruit. I used some frozen blueberries (which thaw almost instantly). Crepes can also be eaten with other fillings such as sauteed mushrooms and asparagus or other veggies and meat combos. Eat them for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner by altering the ingredients and/or even removing the sugar as it isn't a necessary step. I am going to try them as a sort of burrito in place of a tortilla shell.

tips:
Blend the batter in a blender to reduce lumps.
Definitely use a spatula (the floppy, scrap-the-bowl kind) to turn these suckers. This makes the biggest difference in the entire world of flipping a crepe. Trust me on this one. The floppier the better.
Lift up around the edges delicately to get the crepe released from the pan before attempting to flip a crepe.
Definitely spray the pan between each new crepe.
Add different herbs to make savory rather than sweet crepes.
FREEZE FOR CONVENIENCE - Make extra so that you have some quick grab-and-go breakfasts. Freeze by layering each crepe individually between wax paper (freeze for up to 2 months).

YO BABY!

2009-04-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't something I actually made, but it was an exciting find for me.

My son has had three ear infections since December, and subsequently was put on 10-day antibiotic cycles each time. The side effect of this is that it depletes the amount of "good" bacteria in his intestines. This bacteria comes in the form of live and active cultures in yogurt and is what gives yogurt its distinct taste. So, I needed to feed him yogurt to help build up the good bacteria. The problem with the yogurts I was finding were the high amount of sugar and unrecognizable ingredients.

I found YoBaby at Grocery Outlet for $1.50 per six-pack! It turns out to be the best deal around. I checked at Food 4 Less and it was something like $4.50 per six-pack. You can buy it in different flavors aside from plain if you so desire. YoBaby is made with whole milk, has only 3-4 ingredients and they are all things I am familiar with.
In this picture I mashed up bananas and mixed them in the yogurt. I have also used homemade jam to sweeten it up a little bit.

Alex loves it! And I feel better because it is so healthy for him.

What About Kale

2009-04-07T02:08:00.000-07:00

REGULAR KALE VARIETY

I was first introduced to Kale by my friend, Christine Lynch of Live and Eat Better Holistic Health. This is her business, she is a holistic health counselor. She has tried to convince me over the years that kale is one of the best greens you can get and that I should ingest it daily. Well over the past year and a half I have made every effort to do just this and keep wasting at least 75% of what I purchase. I have tried it in stir fry, steam and sprinkle a bit of salt, put it in soups, hide it in a salad, you name it and I just can't stand it.

So until recently, I thought that I have finally written off kale. Deciding that it's just not for me. But then my mom discovered Lacinato Kale in the organic area at our grocery store of choice (Sherm's Food 4 Less) so I gave it a shot. It is quite a different thing than the average regular variety I had been buying.

LACINATO KALE

Lacinato is also commonly referred to as Dinosaur Kale. It has a very thick, almost leathery feeling yet when cooked (like in the soup I just posted: Garbanzo Rice-Noodle Soup) it has such a nice bite and taste. Be careful not to overcook any type of green like this or you will never like it. Consider cooking it sort of like "al dente". It's almost what I would call, "meaty". The common variety, from what I can tell is only referred to as "Kale", just has no flavor and I disdain it's thin, rough frilly texture.

Try either or, but I felt I should post this because my experience with Kale made me think I would never like it when there are actually different varieties. With it being such a healthy green to have in my diet I wanted to like it.

Our store carries the generic Kale in the regular produce area and then 2-3 different varieties in the organic area. Price is pretty comparable too and in smaller bunches sometimes which is nice if you are the only one in the house that's going to eat it.

Let me know if you try it or both and tell me what you think of the difference.

Wikipedia Nutrition Facts

Cooking Light: Heirloom Beans

2009-04-07T01:52:00.000-07:00

Article

Why are time-honored varieties of beans finding fresh flavor in home kitchens? "I think heirlooms taste better,"says Steve Sando, whoese Ranco Gordo in Napa, California, grows and sells nearly 30 varieties of distinctive beans. "Runner beans tend to be buttery. Christmas limas have a distinct chestnut taste, and the bean broth is beefy. Some types are like potatoes in texture; others are creamy. They are not bred for uniform growth, uniform size, or disease resistance. They've been saved [from extinction] because they taste good."

What's more, Sando says his and other growers' methods are god for the soil. "The beans are initially cleaned right in the fields by the combines, and the pods go back into the soil as green manure," he says.

Rancho Gordo Blog

(This article was taken from the March 2009 edition of my Cooking Light magazine. pg 100.)

Garbonzo Rice Noodle Soup

2009-04-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

This is a really easy recipe my mom and I made up. You can make it in about 30 minutes if you own a pressure cooker. If not, you can use canned Garbonzo Beans or do it the long way and cook stove top or in the slow cooker (crock pot).

Printable Version on my Google Docs

Garbanzo Rice-Noodle Soup

Category: Gluten Free Noodle Soup
Flavor: Mild Asian base

Recipe:

6-8 Cups Water (I suggest 8 especially if you are doing 2 Cups Beans. The Noodles seem to soak up a lot of the water as well as the cooking of the beans do)
2 Cubes Vegetable Bouillon like Rapunzel (this bouillon has the most amazing flavor. You can use chicken broth or any vegetable broth you prefer too)
1-2 Cups Garbanzo Beans (or 1 can) (our Garbanzo Beans were from Rancho Gordo of course!)

1/4-1/2 Package Pad Thai Rice noodles (or as much as you want)
1 Cup Quartered Baby Bellas (Costco carries these), Shitaki, Crimini or some sort of small-medium Brown-Top Mushroom (You can also use dehydrated versions. I originally used dehydrated Shitaki.)
2-3 Cups Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (or to your desire of "heat")
2-3 cloves Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Dehydrated, Minced White Onion (alternative: use a few shallots or one small onion)
1/8 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Garnish with either chopped fresh Parsley, Cilantro or Thai Basil

Instructions:

Combine Beans, Water and Bouillon and cook in the Pressure Cooker About 30 minutes or until the beans are done.
Add the Rice Noodles using the pressure cooker pot is fine (1/4 - 1/2 package to your liking. Keep in mind they will soak up water and expand).
Add the Mushrooms, Kale and all the seasonings and let it sit covered for about 10 minutes.
We didn't find the need to add any salt to this version, but your bouillon might be different or alternative ingredients so add at the very last after tasting if you must add any.

Tips:

Crock Pot: If you are doing this in the Crock Pot, just add everything together with the exception of the noodles, kale and garnish. Cook for 3hrs on HIGH and check the beans for tenderness/doneness. When they are done, add the noodles and kale, turn off the cooker and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add your garnish to the servings.

Stove Top: If you are using canned beans, add 1-2 cans (drained/rinsed) to 6-8 Cups water in a pot on the stove. Add everything with the exception of the noodles, kale and garnish. You never want to actually COOK rice noodles, you will kill their texture and they will turn to mush. Bring your pot to a boil, turn down and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors, turn off the heat, add the noodles and kale and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add your garnish to the servings.

Simple Greenhouse

2009-04-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

I've been getting some requests on how I built my simple greenhouse.
Since this is where a lot of the vegies come from for my cooking I decided
to show some pics.
Cost: $60.oo for 3 4X16 feet cattle panels ($20.00 each)
$8.00 for plastic
Bend the cattle panels in half and wire together. Voila! Greenhouse!
I can grow year round here in my zone 8 garden with this simple invention.

I like to recycle when I can. I used old drawers from a dresser.
Cinder blocks from my brothers house found randomly outside.
Planters from my mom's house. I made the dirt with compost bought
at a local farm that makes it for $18.00 a yard, perlite, and peat moss.
We just finished eating the overwintered pac choi, spinach, and kale.

Serendipity Doo-Da Design

2009-04-02T01:57:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I will slowly evolve Serendipity Kitchens into a fun custom design. I also have some recipes and cooking to include, but I have been swamped with work through MollyBean (check out my newest site design-in-progress). I have some great ideas for the blog design that I am really excited about.

We would like to add anyone in the fam that wants to post about what's going on in their food world so don't be shy, if you would like to be an author, please let us know.

What Does Grape Juice and Cream of Tartar Have In Common?

2009-04-01T11:00:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered what the beautiful crystal that forms in the bottom of
homemade grape juice is?

Potassium bitartrate, also known as potassium hydrogen tartrate, has formula KC₄H₅O₆. It is a byproduct of winemaking. In cooking it is known as cream of tartar. It is the potassium acid salt of tartaric acid.

In food

In food, potassium bitartrate is used for:

Stabilizing egg whites, increasing their heat tolerance and volume;
Preventing sugar syrups from crystallising;
Reducing discolouration of boiled vegetables;
Frequent combination with baking soda (which needs an acid ingredient to activate it) in formulations of baking powder.
Commonly used in combination with potassium chloride in sodium-free salt substitutes

A similar acid salt, sodium acid pyrophosphate, is confused with cream of tartar due to their similar function in baking powder.

[edit]Household use

Can be used with white vinegar to make a paste-like cleaning agent. It is a common ingredient in Playdoh and gingerbread house icing.

(This concoction is sometimes mistakenly made with vinegar and sodium bicarbonate, which actually react to neutralise each other, creating carbon dioxide and salty water, plus any excess amount of either substance.)

You Can Read All About it HERE

Here's a RECIPE using Cream of Tartar:

Baking Powder Biscuits:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

4 teasp. baking pwd.

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

1 Tbl. sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2/3 cup milk (buttermilk is divine, water also works for dairy free)

Sift the dry ing together in a large bowl.

Mix shortening in with fingers until well blended into coarse crumbs.

Add the milk.

Stir until the dough just comes together. DO NOT BEAT! Be GENTLE.

Turn onto a lightly floured board. Gently knead a little turning dough over.

Roll out 1/2 inch thick.

Cut with biscuit cutters, cookie cutters, lids, whatever.

Bake on parchment paper or ungreased cookie sheet.

Oven 450

10-15 min

These Biscuits are DIVINE! So soft and delectable.

Now don't you feel smarter?

Pauls Crunch Wrap Supreme Burrito Thingy

2009-03-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Guest Chef Paul shows us a thing or two!
**
These were absolutely Delish!

Here's Randy eating his with a side of Baked Asparagus Spears

Here's a layered pic before wrapping.

We hope you enjoy making these yourself!

Clam/Potato Chowder in Bread Bowls

2009-03-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

This was my husband's idea, but it was left up to me to bring it to life. (By the way, this is Robyn posting.) I was lazy, not to mention my ancient oven is a terrible bread maker, so I bought the bread bowls 4 for $1.75 at Food-4-Less. Yes, cheap and tasty, just the way I like it. :)Then I made Manhattan Clam Chowder (YUCK!, but Paul says it is delicious) and potato chowder for myself. I took the recipe for the clam chowder from the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book, 75th Anniversary Edition. This is totally unlike me, but I had to follow the recipe EXACTLY for once, because I couldn't taste it for fear of throwing up in it. :) My potato chowder was my own made up recipe and turned out delicious! Paul really enjoyed the clam chowder as well. So, for all of you sea food lovers out there, I am sure it would have tasted good to you to.
Here is the final result.
It was enjoyed by Alex as well.

Cooking For Ben

2009-03-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

Ben has multiple food allergies. Among those we know about...i.e. All meat except buffalo,wheat, sugar, potatoes,Beans, carrots, celery, yams, rice, gluten free grains, etc.etc....very numerous. We put our energies into focusing on what he CAN eat...it's easier...the list is shorter. Buffalo, butternut squash, spagetti squash, olives, cabbage, broccoli, bananas, granny smith apples, garlic, onions, asparagus among the few. I'm working on a cookbook for him. Here is a sample of a meal he can eat.

We dubbed it...

Buffalo Fajitas with Pan Roasted Butternut Cubes

You take these ing.

and turn it into this.....

Wow! It actually looks good enough to eat!

2009-03-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

I LOVE garden girl! She's so inspiring! This vid will show us how to preserve our
harvest of parsley and basil. Coolness!

end

Just A Little Brown Bag of Scrumpdiliumptious!

2009-03-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite food....

Hands down....THE BEST gluten free anything I"ve ever eaten. Even
better than homemade all purpose flour brownies.
And they come in this little brown bag.

From Trader Joe's
Moist, Chocolaty, Absolutely Divine....

We've Gone Crackers!

2009-03-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

This week it's all about crackers! Cheesy Crackers!

Wheatless Crackers! Oatmeal Crackers!

These Serendipity Cooks looooooooooooooove Crackers!

Pictured in this photo is Garlic Parmesan Crackers.

Do you buy the garlic parmesan seasoning from Costco?

That's what flavors these delicious bites!

Recipe:

1 cup all purpose flour

pinch of salt

4 Tbl butter or margarine

sprinkle in some garlic parmesan seas. the stuff from Costco

(warning the more you use the saltier they will be)

Put this in a food processor.

Pulse until blended.

Add 1/4 cup water while whirring

Let mixture turn into a ball.

Overmixing won't hurt the dough.

Roll out thin on a floured surface.

Line Cookie Sheet with Parchment Paper.

Put rolled dough onto the paper and

score it into squares.

Bake at 400 deg F. for 10 min or until lightly browned.

Baby says YUM YUM!

Please use LESS salt for baby!